Don't know what happened

[Dody]

Rather than argue over hand swimming, why not get to a pool and prove to yourself the purported benefit of arm swimming - perhaps in combination with the frog kicking that you indicated you used to attempt a sprint during the incident?

I myself will use an arm stroke or two in certain situations, but I have never been convinced it is an efficient means to move over any considerable distance when wearing scuba gear (and decent fins). In addition, and you should have been taught this in your training: Arm swimming is a GREAT way to rip your buddy's regulator from their mouth when you accidentally catch their second stage hose loop. For that reason alone, it is not generally a good practice.

Perhaps you should check out these for your experiments:

https://www.amazon.com/Darkfin-Webb...ocphy=9012033&hvtargid=pla-568751388902&psc=1

Oh! I will do that. 50 meters with full gear with and without the arms.
You misunderstood my comments about frog kick. I hate it. I never use it except when avoiding to kick silt up or when I am very tired doing flutter kick.
Finally, why do you talk about buddy? I was cast away trying to catch up. Thinking about the risk of ripping the regulator of a buddy that does not exist would have been like... I don't know.

 

[inquis]

You say that you were entirely submerged with 6 kg, but did not sink when adding 2 more kg?? Had you lost weight before trying 8 kg (for example, by breathing down your tank)?

 

[johndiver999]

The more I think about it, the more I think that you might have hit the point. We were shallow and it was difficult for me to have a good buoyancy with the new gear and lack of weight control. Even without air in the BCD, I was ascending. When I noticed the current, we were diving down so I had to fight both the current and the lift up. It might have been too much for my strength.
I will do the following things:
1- Test my speed compared to the two teenagers in a pool.
2- Analyze the weight check. The weight check with 6 kg was fine ( my head was actually completely under water when exhaling) but I could not descend with less than 8kg, even fully exhaling.
3- Dive, dive, dive,... until I am as comfortable with my new gear than with the crappy, old gear that I have used for months and felt pretty much in control with.

I'm completely lost with these statements about weight. Is this a typo or something?

 

[Coztick]

Dody, you got smoked in a race with kids who can probably go faster yet. Thinking you're fast when nobody else is trying has left you delusional regarding your speed.
You say your technique is good, so you'll need more power. Aka larger blades and stronger legs/core.
Until then, please don't assume you're able to provide an adequate level of care to be considered a pro.
New divers can make fatal mistakes. They bolt for the surface or even the depths to chase a dropped object.
You simply MUST be able to catch them.
Good luck with your training!

 

[Dody]

You say that you were entirely submerged with 6 kg, but did not sink when adding 2 more kg?? Had you lost weight before trying 8 kg (for example, by breathing down your tank)?

Exactly. This is one of the things I do not understand. With 6kg (I used to dive smoothly with 5 with the old gear), when exhaling and a BCD without air, my head was totally submerged. However, I could not descend, even fully exhaling without someone pulling me down or being given 2 more kg. This within 2 minutes so no tank breathing issue.

 

[Dody]

I'm completely lost with these statements about weight. Is this a typo or something?

I am lost with your comments. What don’t you understand? I am just stating facts. Not root cause.

 

[Dody]

Dody, you got smoked in a race with kids who can probably go faster yet. Thinking you're fast when nobody else is trying has left you delusional regarding your speed.
You say your technique is good, so you'll need more power. Aka larger blades and stronger legs/core.
Until then, please don't assume you're able to provide an adequate level of care to be considered a pro.
New divers can make fatal mistakes. They bolt for the surface or even the depths to chase a dropped object.
You simply MUST be able to catch them.
Good luck with your training!

I know I still have to learn. And that’s what I am doing. Probably more thoroughly than some of the usual blamers. I don’t count you with them

 

[Dody]

I think that everyone should like this one
When you expose your weaknesses on SB, if you can't face, fight and use your commom sense against the Usual blamers, you are likely to be prone to panicking underwater. And you should not dive . If you are able to rely on the mind that God has given us (WTF am I writing it, I don't even believe in God), your odds of having a long and safe diving live are better.

 

[divin'dog]

I will do the following things:
1- Test my speed compared to the two teenagers in a pool.
2- Analyze the weight check. The weight check with 6 kg was fine ( my head was actually completely under water when exhaling) but I could not descend with less than 8kg, even fully exhaling.
3- Dive, dive, dive,... until I am as comfortable with my new gear than with the crappy, old gear that I have used for months and felt pretty much in control with.

Well, you opened a can of worms with this thread... Good for you to ask. Thick skin will get you through this but think about what some of the well experienced divers are telling you. They're experienced for a reason.

As for #1 in your reply, forget about the 2 teens in that dive. Move on... This event has passed. You need to concentrate on you. Done. Over.
As for #2, I could see where problems would arise if you were not weighted properly. Get in the water and get your buoyancy as PERFECT as possible. It will not happen tomorrow, next week, next month or even next year. But one day it will be "perfect". Also with buoyancy, you need to make sure your trim is good. Be sleek. Watch the dangling hoses, they add drag.
As for #3, yes, dive, dive, dive, dive... It is not about your new gear. Good divers can dive well with crappy gear, new gear, old gear, any gear. You really need to dive to refine your skill. People with 1000s of dives have much more refinement than you and I. I like to tell divers that it is not about going fast. It is about going smooth... Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast. Try the exercise below...

Go on a dive in a shallow (15'?) area with NO current (hopefully with a buddy who wants to do the same thing) and set your depth and trim and buoyancy. Now just hover for a long time in space. It helps if there is something interesting to look at. Now be quiet... No arms, no finning, no movement if possible. Hover in quiet. Maintain your depth, trim and buoyancy. It may not be easy. Your breath should be very slow and relaxed. Your body should be comfortable, suspended. Feel the water around you. Every motion creates a reaction no matter how small. If you move your head slowly, can you feel what it does in the water? Can you feel the changes it creates around you? What happens if you only wiggle your body? What if you just give the smallest tap of your fin? Instead of a being a diver "crashing" into the water, finning as fast as possible, try to be part of the water. Feel what is going on. Try to move in harmony with it. You will be a better diver as part of the water than being a diver in the water.

Hopefully, one day, everything will click and you will have a dive where everything feels just perfect... And you will forget you are diving at the moment.

Good luck. Be safe.

 

[johndiver999]

You head goes under with 6 kg but you can not descend with 8 kg ? how does this make sense?